Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh was speaking at a regular press conference on March 3 while replying reporters’ question about Vietnam’s next steps in response to China’s continuation of moves causing tensions in the East Sea. 

The above-mentioned stance of Vietnam has so far contributed to maintaining peace in the region and been welcomed by the international community, he said.

"As a country directly involved in disputes in the East Sea, Vietnam’s unwavering position is supporting the settlement of all disputes by peaceful means, in conformity with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)”, Binh noted. 

Reporters raised a question about the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)’s recent tender inviting bids for oil and gas blocks in several areas, including the East Sea. 

Binh said Vietnam’s competent agencies are thoroughly looking into China’s tender invitation. 

However, Vietnam’s consistent viewpoint is that in areas on which the two countries are negotiating for demarcation, and in overlapping waters off the mouth of the Tonkin Gulf, according to international law and practice, neither of the sides are allowed to unilaterally conduct oil and gas exploration or exploitation activities, he emphasized.

While answering reporters’ question about Vietnam’s reaction to the adoption on March 2 of a UN Security Council resolutionto sanction the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Vietnamese diplomat  has reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of supporting peace, stability, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons towards the disarmament of those weapons.  

Vietnam hopes that all parties involved will proactively increase dialogue to find peaceful ways to deal with the Korean Peninsula issues as a contribution to maintaining peace and stability in the region.

As a responsible member of the international community, Vietnam has and will abide by UN Security Council resolutions, he added.